Special SBR phase prior to regular Combat move

Here is 9a of n for discussion of my Classic House Rules

Special Forces in Classic
Unit Name      IPC Cost ATK DEF MOVE Notes
Special Forces     8        3*   3*   2*   Cannot be transported with any other type of units. See below for rules and uses of this unit.

Special Forces - The truly elite, the best of the best, the Special Forces of a nation. Special Forces attack value increases to 4 when doing an Airborne Assault. Cannot be transported with any other type of units.

Optional Rules for the Optional Special Forces
Special Forces are unique units with many and varied powers. Special Forces have the following optional rules: Attack a Specified Unit (Sabotage Raid) and Attack an Industrial Complex (Industrial Raid). These rules are optional, potentially ruinous to balanced game-play, and great fun to pull off if you can. As such, the potential use of any of these rule sets should be negotitated in advance of the start of play. Here they are:

Decide on a Target
A Special Forces unit, for its turn, can be used to launch a raid, whether sabotage or industrial. The raid must take place in a territory not also under normal attack but may take place in a territory that is receiving a Strategic Bombing Raid. Once in position for the raid, the player selects the desired target. The target may be the territory’s Industrial Complex (an Industrial Raid) or any single unit in that territory or any enemy sea unit off of the coast of that territory (a Sabotage Raid).

Arrive to Target Territory
Special Forces units can use regular movement, an Amphibious Invasion (off of a Submarine or a Transport), or an Airborne Assault to get into position for the raid.

Attack a Specified Unit (Sabotage Raid):
Once in postion, a die is rolled for each SF in the raid. On a roll of 1-3 the raid is successful, the targeted unit is destroyed, and the Special Forces make their escape. On a roll of 4-5 the raid is unsuccessful but the SF unit escapes. On a roll of a 6 the SF unit is discovered before the raid and is killed without completing its mission.

Attack an Industrial Complex (Industrial Raid)
Once in postion, a die is rolled for each SF in the raid. On a roll of a 1 the SF is discovered before the raid and is killed without affecting its target. On a roll of 2-3 the raid is unsuccessful but the SF escapes. On a roll of a 4-6 the raid is successful. The targetted power loses IPCs based on the result of the roll: 4 for 4 IPC damage, 5 for 6 IPC damage, or 6 for 8 IPC damage).

Surviving the Raid
In the event Special Forces perform a raid and survive (with either a successful raid or an unsuccessful raid but a successful escape), remove the SF from the game board and return it to the owning power. The SF return to the game board during the placement phase of the owning power’s next turn.

Examples
Sabotage Raid Example: UK player attacks a German Bomber in Western Europe with a Special Forces in a sabotage raid, rolling a 2. The raid is successful. Germany loses the Bomber and the SF return to the UK player. The SF return to the game board at the end of the UK player’s next turn, not at the end of the UK player’s current turn. (The SF that conducted the attack will have to sit out 1 turn, in order to finish returning from the raid.)

Industrial Raid Example: German player attacks the UK Industrial Complex in the UK with Special Forces in a industrial raid, rolling a 5. The UK loses 6 IPCs and the SF return to the German player. The SF return to the game board at the end of the German player’s next turn, not at the end of the German player’s current turn. (The SF that conducted the attack will have to sit out 1 turn, in order to finish returning from the raid.)

Unsuccessful Raid Example: US player attacks a Japanese Battleship off of Wake Island with Special Forces in a sabotage raid, rolling a 5. The raid is unsuccessful. Japan keeps the Battleship and the SF return to the US player. The SF return to the game board at the end of the US player’s next turn, not at the end of the US player’s current turn. (The SF that conducted the raid will have to sit out 1 turn, in order to finish returning from the raid.)

Fatally Unsuccessful Raid Example: Japanese player attacks the US Industrial Complex in the Western US with Special Forces in a industrial raid, rolling a 1. The US loses 0 IPCs and Japan loses that SF. Japan can replace that SF on its next turn.

There are thoughts on more ways of turning commandos loose on my enemies, on “set[ting] Europe ablaze” as Winston Churchill allegedly ordered the Special Operations Executive.

-Midnight_Reaper

The on going discussion:
http://www.axisandallies.org/forums/index.php?topic=40520.msg1693864#msg1693864
on Transport with defense roll makes me wonder about actual combat strength of Classic Transport and an escorted TP:

Transport and Destroyer A2 D2 C15, 1 hit
Offense & Defense factor:
36*(2/15^2) = 0.32

Transport and Cruiser A3 D3 C19, 1 hit
Offense & Defense factor:
36*(3/19^2) = 0.30

Classic Transport A0 D1 C8, 1 hit
Defense factor:
36*(1/8^2) = 0.5625

I revised the opening post.
As comparison points, a Fighter A3 D4 C10 off/def is 1.08 / 1.44

Destroyer A2 D2 C8, 1 hit
Offense & Defense factor:
36*(2/8^2) = 1.125

Submarine A2 D1 C6
Offense:
36*(2/6^2) = 2.00
36*(3/6^2) = surprise strike 3.00
Defense:
36*(1/6^2) = 1.00
36*(1.33/6^2) = surprise strike 1.33

You need to send 2 Destroyers to get a similar defense value with Classic Transport strength 0.5625:
Transport and 2 Destroyers A4 D4 C23, 2 hits
Offense & Defense factor:
36*(2/11.5^2) = 0.544

Or make defenseless Transport a 4 IPCs unit:
Transport and Destroyer A2 D2 C12, 1 hit
Offense & Defense factor:
36*(2/12^2) = 0.50

Now, if you want to introduce a Classic TP with the same strength of actual DD+TP combo 0.32:
You need to make TP cost 10,5 IPCs:
Classic Transport A0 D1 C10, 1 hit
Defense factor:
36*(1/10^2) = 0.36

At 11 IPCs, it would be 0.30 though.

Transport defending A0 D1 would be interesting at a clean 10 IPCs.

This mechanics can also be applied to ABs as Carolina is suggesting:

Air and Naval base damage
@Carolina:

Great topic - hi-lights how A&A is a little too basic.  ie. not all hits should be equal - really, when would AAA blow every plane out of the sky?

I would propose to change the AAA rule for bases and industry that AAA does not kill but affects the accuracy of the attacker.  Defending installation rules a 1d6 and this is subtracted from the attacker’s roll.  
1d6-1 for fighters and tacB
1d6-2 for bombers
Roll an AAA dice for each attacking aircraft.

I would argue that switching a factory from generalized production to specialized production should actually translate into a production penalty, not a production bonus.  Factory conversions in real life require retooling and retraining, which means that for a while the factory is producing less rather than more.

Thanks to everyone for all the replies. Lots of great ideas. I am implementing the idea of having to take off from AB but do not like the idea of having to land back at one (too restictive). A lot of the ideas discussed IMO are to restrictive. Here’s what my group will use moving forward.
Heavy transport $10, move 6 no attack or defend value (last unit removed - NEW) (must take off from AB-NEW) (limit 3 per major power) (can transport 3 Inf or 3 Special forces)
Special forces (paratroops) $5 Att3 Def1 (limit 5 per major power but can be replaced when destroyed).

@oldsalty:

Bierwagan:

How would you have played your example if it were a bomber instead of a ftr?

Moin OldSalty!

I haven’t had a lone bomber defending a territory yet.  But, it wouldn’t really change anything.  Air units only get full attack strength when coupled with ground forces on a 1-to-1 basis.

@AAHRE:

Air Supremacy
When only one side has air units at the beginning of
combat cycle, air units fight with normal combat values
when matched 1-to-1 with a friendly land unit. Excess
air units fight at combat value of 1.

So, the bomber would have Air Supremacy but would only get a parting shot at 1 (n.b., bombers don’t get to select targets it is just carpet bombing) – then it would have to withdraw due to:

@AAHRE:

Land Combat: Retreat Decision
At the end of a land combat cycle, if only one side has
land units the other side must retreat.

TTP (Tactics, Techniques, and Procedures) insight for the day!
This becomes tactically significant later on in the game when you don’t have many ground units left.  I’ve seen people attack what looks like a solid defense in Berlin by tying up all the airplanes in the sky.  Then all you have to do is blast away the few defenders on the ground and “voila!” the vaunted Luftwaffe is forced to retreat because they have no land units, giving you the country and victory!

This really causes you to re-evaluate defense on the ground.  You have to watch UK as well because normally it’s just used as a non-mobile aircraft carrier – but NO MORE!

It’s all about balance… and aircover!  IL & Tekkyy have done a wondermus job of levelling the playing field and making it a real slobberknocker of a tactical puzzle.

Enjoy the day!

right.